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Rai Sport director steps down following Olympic gaffes
Paolo Petrecca, head of Italy's state broadcaster Rai Sport, has resigned after a series of high-profile errors during the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony drew nationwide ridicule and sparked a brief strike by news journalists.
Last-minute replacement leads to on-air chaos
Petrecca, who took over as commentator at the last minute after the original presenter was removed for prematurely revealing a surprise element of the ceremony, saw his broadcast spiral into controversy. The event, watched by 9.2 million viewers on Rai 1, achieved a 46% audience share-making his mistakes all the more conspicuous.
A litany of errors and viral backlash
Within minutes of the broadcast, Petrecca misidentified the venue, welcoming viewers to the Stadio Olimpico instead of Milan's San Siro stadium. Moments later, he introduced Italian actress Matilda De Angelis as singer Mariah Carey, prompting a wave of social media mockery. De Angelis herself joked about sharing royalties for Carey's All I Want for Christmas.
His blunders continued when he mistook International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry for Italian President Sergio Mattarella's daughter. He also failed to recognize men's volleyball captain Simone Giannelli, incorrectly naming a member of the women's team, and later resorted to outdated stereotypes, describing Brazilians as having "music in their blood," referencing "African voodoo rites," and calling Spaniards "calienti" (hot).
Union condemns broadcast as damaging to Rai's reputation
Rai's journalists' union, Usigrai, criticized Petrecca's performance as a "serious blow" to the broadcaster's credibility. The commentator initially dropped from the opening ceremony, Auro Bulbarelli, has been reinstated for the closing event. Petrecca's resignation, effective at the end of the Games, was widely anticipated.
Successor named amid broader concerns over political influence
Petrecca will be replaced by Marco Lollobrigida, a veteran sports presenter at Rai. However, the incident has reignited debates about political interference at the broadcaster, with critics accusing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government of prioritizing loyalty over journalistic standards. Petrecca, a known ally of Meloni, had previously presented her book I Am Giorgia while leading Rai's news channel.
"This was one of Rai's bleakest live broadcasts, undermining public trust in our institution,"
Usigrai statement
What's next for Rai
The broadcaster faces pressure to restore its reputation ahead of the closing ceremony, while opposition figures continue to question the government's role in shaping editorial decisions.
